Franklin Park Zoo

Franklin Park Zoo

Franklin Park Zoo
3.5
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Embark on a wild adventure at Franklin Park Zoo, where you'll encounter magnificent animals from around the globe! Get up close and personal with our Western Lowland gorillas at Gorilla Grove (seasonal). Take the chance to marvel at the majestic African lion in the Kalahari Kingdom and admire the graceful Masai giraffes roaming the Giraffe Savannah. With countless extraordinary species awaiting your discovery, Franklin Park Zoo promises an unforgettable experience for all ages!
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • Michelle C
    Coventry, United Kingdom147 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice day out
    Even though the wind was gusty, the animals were all still out and happy. It’s a lovely little zoo, with interactive keeper sessions about the animals and just there for guest to interact with them also. All the animals were out and about and some were more interactive then others, I was able to call over the tapir and get some great photos! Nice safe paced zoo which is mainly flat so easily accessible and lots of room for everyone to see the animals in their environments. Plenty of food vending about and also eatery. I would say this is more of a summer place as various exhibits were closed but normal for the time of the year.
    Hi Michelle! Thank you for sharing your experience at our zoo. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed interacting with the animals and were able to get some great photos. We appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again in the summer when more exhibits are open.
    Written February 19, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written February 17, 2024
  • Donna C
    Brighton, Massachusetts4 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Just average.
    The best parts were the Gorilla Grove and Tropical Rainforest. We had the opportunity to speak with one of the gorilla keepers and the views into the enclosure were fantastic. The rest left much to be desired. Landscaping was scarce and spare for late Spring. Aside from the gorillas, enrichment seemed to be lacking. I hear that the light events are nice and may visit again for that, but zoo was lacking even standard exhibits like tigers and bears.
    Donna, thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the Gorilla Grove and Tropical Rainforest. Your comments on landscaping and enrichment are duly noted, and we will work to improve in those areas. We hope to see you again for Boston Lights!
    Written April 29, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled on business
    Written April 28, 2024
  • Jay06480
    Levis, Canada155 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Zoo to see
    Very nice zoo visited with family, quite a few animals for a small zoo of this size even if some were absent. It occupied us for a good 2h30, the zoo is clean and well maintained, the animals are okay despite the negative reviews I could read. Moreover, we passed during the boston light event, we could not see it in the evening unfortunately but the scenery remains really beautiful even during the day.
    Hi Jay, thank you for taking the time to share your experience at our zoo. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed your visit with your family and that you found our zoo clean and well-maintained. We hope you can join us for the Boston Light event in the evening next time!
    Written August 9, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 7, 2024
  • lkis229
    Southington, Connecticut576 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Zoo Lights - A must to go see
    Franklin Zoo Lights - TERRIFIC!! This is a must see for all ages. We took our granddaughter (7) who was absolutely amazed and definitely would want to go back next year. There is so much to see and the different sections made it even more fun.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written September 16, 2024
  • Oliver A
    Leeds, United Kingdom384 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A zoo worth visiting
    Nice time of year to visit. Not too busy. Some exhibitions were closed but there were enough animals to make it worth visiting. We went during the day and got to see all the nice displays that they have on for the Boston Lights during the night. Took us just over 2 hours.
    Oliver, we're thrilled to hear you had a nice visit! It's great that you enjoyed the quieter atmosphere and still got to see plenty of animals. We're glad you appreciated the Boston Lights displays as well. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we hope to welcome you back to the zoo soon!
    Written November 1, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 30, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles500 reviews
Excellent
122
Very good
152
Average
115
Poor
72
Terrible
39

dmmjran
Massachusetts15 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
We were pleasantly surprised by both the size of the zoo and the amount of animals we were able to see on our visit there today. We found the maps helpful in navigating our way throughout the park, and spent a little more than 3 hours there. There were lots of colorful displays and some great play areas for the kids. Also, plenty of spots to sit down, and multiple restrooms along the paths. One annoyance was the ridiculously loud music playing behind a fence in the private party area, which made it difficult to focus on and hear our own conversations. I also thought it might be disturbing the animals, since so many of them have sensitive ears. Also, we overheard a male employee driving a golf cart refuse to help a female working in the small snack shop, rudely stating “That’s not my job,” and driving away with a look of disgust on his face when she mentioned that the cooler needed to be restocked. Very unprofessional, especially in front of several patrons. Finally, I think there should be some water bubblers in the park, as the temperature was close to 90 degrees today, and several times, I felt like passing out. $4.50 for a small bottle of water and $6.00 for a glass of lemonade was a bit more than I was willing to spend. Overall though, it was worth the trip and I do recommend it to others.
Written August 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi dmmjran, thank you for your review. We would be happy to discuss your visit in more detail, and invite you to reach out to us at info@zoonewengland.org
Written August 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

natalieandmonkey
Hertfordshire95 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
Located in Franklin Park, the zoo is in a lovely location (I'm sure it's stunning in the summer and for the fall!). It's a relatively small zoo with big draws being the lions, gorillas and giraffes.

It is a very old zoo and you can tell the oldest exhibits- from the look of it, I think they are trying to do as much renovation as they can while it's quieter in the winter months but some enclosures could do with some tlc. During the winter- not all of the animals and exhibits will be open/on display so if you have a real favorite it's worth checking before you visit!

I felt the entrance fee was fair however the cafe and gift shop were really quite expensive for what you get. I think given the history, the gift shop would be such a good opportunity to really have personalised, local giftware as opposed to mountains of plastic and beanie babies.

That said, looking at the keepers that I saw- they all seemed engaged and passionate in what they did and willing to answer any questions from the visitors!
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CMMehle
Rocky Mount, NC2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Beware as there seem to be no service roads and all sorts of vehicles are driving down major thoroughfares of the park and will not always yield to pedestrians. There were way too many times I had to step out of the way of trucks and golf carts.

The animals were amazing, and while I was hoping to see the red panda active, I missed it — my fault, not the zoo’s at all.
Written August 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the review, CMMehle. We will share this with the team! We would be happy to discuss your visit in more detail, and invite you to reach out to us at info@zoonewengland.org
Written August 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jerri L
Johnston, IA4,793 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Family
This zoo is small enough for a toddler to enjoy and to experience so much. We took our 2 year old granddaughter while visiting Boston for medical reasons. We have a zoo membership in Des Moines and were able to utilize reciprocity pricing which was nice. We paid half price for each of our tickets (regular price adult around $22.95 and the 2 year old $15.95) . Prices seemed to vary depending on time of day and days of the week and are cheaper online but if using reciprocity have to be purchased at the gate). Parking is free nearby at a few available parking lots.

We arrived at opening (winter hours 9-4) and stayed until closing. The 2 year old loved all-nighter of the animal areas that were open but especially loved the tropical rainforest, the bird, lions and farm. She took playground breaks between areas and this was something that we really loved about this zoo… the playgrounds.

We ate at the cafe and service was a bit slow with little ones, but it seemed they weren’t well staffed at that time or on that day (a Thursday around 11:30). We also took advantage of the “dipping dots” vending machine to enjoy some ice cream.

The layout is nice and easy to get around and surprisingly the 2 year old did great getting around all day without a stroller. We were able to see many of the animals although a few were away because of cooler weather.
Written March 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi JerriAL1, we’re thrilled to get this kind of feedback. Thank you for taking the time to review us. We look forward to seeing you again!
Written March 14, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Laura W
Denver, CO52 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022 • Solo
First it really pains me to have to write a negative review. I love zoos. I’ve been to many zoos of all sizes. This zoo is at the bottom of all the zoos I’ve been to. It is my fault that I went in the heat of the day so many animals were resting. The cardinal rule is go first thing in the morning when they are the most active. So that’s on me that I didn’t go earlier. All of the birds were off exhibit due to avian flu. Not a problem. Animal health comes first. More animals were also not on exhibit. I was so glad that I visited on City Pass. I would have not been happy to have paid full price for the zoo. I think it’s fine if you have a zoo membership and can come many times for a walk for exercise. Or if you can get a discount. It’s on par with my hometown zoo which is not a massive city zoo. HOWEVER this zoo is 3 times the price of my hometown zoo. Either lower the price or improve the zoo. The gift shop is way overpriced. I know most attractions like this have overpriced gift shops but this was even beyond the norm. If you are an out of towner like I am and you are expecting a great zoo experience, this just isn’t it. I would’ve expected a much bigger and better experience for the city of Boston. I will say that all the tickets for zoo lights are sold out for the week and next week so that’s got to be a positive for them. Sad I couldn’t go. Also I do not like that you would have to leave the zoo and re-enter for zoo lights. I would’ve had to sit outside the zoo for 2 hours and it doesn’t seem to be in the best part of town or pay so much more for transportation to come all the way back.
Written September 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mary Kay F
Camden, ME8 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
We purchased tickets online to Boston Lights at the Franklin Park Zoo. Their website said regular zoo hours ended at 5 and Boston Lights opened at 6. It did not say that you can’t see any animals during zoo lights because they are off display. Zoo lights is a one way walk through on paved roads/paths, primarily for ver young kids. My kids gave it a lower score than me. The zoo was dirty. The one animal exhibit we could see a corner of was a barn with a couple donkeys. The barn concert floor around the barn was dirty and a loudspeaker was blaring event music right next to the animals. There were no staff stationed along the paths to interact with guests or field questions. The only place with staff were places they wanted to sell you food or souvenirs. The Chinese traditional dancers they advertised as performing from 6:30-7 (and other time slots) turned out to be one girl doing some arm movements on a little circular rotating platform. We were expecting a 30 minute educational program explaining the traditional dances and culture. My kids gave the whole experience a 1. I gave it a 1.5 because one bathroom was actually open.
Written August 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mike M
4 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Family
Several of the animals were the only of their species in the enclosure and were making attempts to get out, or get closer to the people watching them. The ostrich hung out by the fence where the people were and basically did not move that spot for the 3+ hours we were at the zoo. The cockatoo was perched on the side of its cage closest to the people and seemed to be trying to gnaw its way through the chain link fence. The zoo should make every attempt to have several of a species so that loneliness/boredom is not an issue. If for some reason they can't then the zoo should provide an explanation as to why the animal is alone (there was a sign with the reason the lion was by itself)
Written October 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amanda R
3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
I have been to a lot of zoos across the country and this one was poor at best. Rules that are not posted (no strollers in the gift shop), unfriendly staff, no animals and very poorly taken care of animals. Open wounds on animals... We made fun of the Little Rock zoo as it is know as the retirement home for animals but that zoo is on another level compared to this. Now if you want to pay premium prices for a playground, you will be happy. But I would much rather a trip to the Memphis or St. Louis zoo.
Written May 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are very sorry that you were disappointed in your visit. As an organization accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (a distinction achieved by fewer than 10% of licensed animal exhibitors in the U.S.), we adhere to the highest standards of animal care. Our dedicated animal care and veterinary teams closely monitor all of the animals here at the Zoo, so that if and when anything unusual does occur we can take steps to address it as quickly as possible. As with all of the animals, if a medical exam is scheduled, if the weather conditions are not right, or if work is scheduled within a habitat – to name a few possible scenarios, it’s possible that you may not see every animal on a given day. It is up to the animals as to where they choose to be within their habitats and depending on where they choose it may take longer to see some than others. We would be happy to discuss your visit in more detail and invite you to reach out to us at info@zoonewengland.org
Written May 23, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Zzz
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Plan to possibly go back during the day time. However Worst experience ever trying to go to and strongly recommend against going to “Boston lights a lantern experience”. To go from the end of the road to the parking lots having cars on both sides of the road and parked on the grass along the zoos fence as well as inside zoo parking lots (causing lots to be completely full) With atvs and dirt bikes flooding the street going the wrong way in traffic. Not to mention your entire car will be shaking from the vibration of the millions of speakers is ridiculous for a family friendly zoo event. Not sure of a family with children who would enjoy sitting for 40 minutes trying to get from the road to parking with a throbing headache watching everything in the car bounce up and down and vibrate due to the music. If that isn’t part of the zoo event then the zoo should be dealing with the parking issues. Valet parking is a great option as recommended when calling the zoo if it’s not for the fact that you will have cars and atvs parked in the way of the valet so it is unusable. Zoo staff was helpful in refunding tickets after a while on the phone.
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

803632016
Connecticut59 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022
I love this zoo more than any zoo but there is a lot wrong with it these days! Most of the animals were not in their areas with signs saying not available for viewing. There were so many animals missing that I told my daughter who I took today that we should ask for our money back. Are they caught up in this greed machine that the US has? Can they not get it together? It is very sad!
The positive side I did see people working in the large bird outdoor cage which is so much fun to go in when it is open. Closed today. The statues animals for the night light show you can tell they put a lot into them. The should discount the tickets until they get it together and I am not talking about the bird influenza. 23 dollars is a lot for a zoo missing more than half of the animals and no shows or feeding times. Also it would be a great idea dummies if you put the names of some of the animals next to their cages like the white parrot outside. Kids would love to see that!
Written September 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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Franklin Park Zoo - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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